By Kyle Koso
AURORA – Some nickel-and-dime moments allowed the 16u Firecrackers Brashear/Smith team to get an early foothold Tuesday in power pool action at the Colorado 4th of July tournament. And when the big hits came, the squad cashed it in with win No. 2 on the day. Home runs by Abby Newcombe and Andrea Gonzalez provided the cushion against the Illinois Thunderbolts at Horseshow Park, backing up a stellar effort from starting pitcher Bridget Nemeth in a 5-0 victory. Helping pave the way to a spot in the upper half of Bracket H for Friday’s next games was the sight of the Firecrackers scoring two runs on nothing but walks and wild pitches – runs you can score just by putting on a uniform and having shoes. But those early runs certainly eased the mind of Nemeth, who scattered seven hits over seven innings, striking out eight with no walks. “It’s good to score early; we’ve got some fast kids who run the bases well, and it was awesome to see them get on and score,” said Firecrackers coach Mike Smith. “We had been talking to Abby about trying to hit the ball hard up the middle; she tends to pull everything. I was hoping for a hard ground ball up the middle; she went left-center but got a hold of it. In this game, it’s all about making adjustments. “She’s a strong kid, and that gave us the cushion, to where in the last couple innings we didn’t have to worry about checking runners, just get outs and play defense.” Newcombe wasn’t thrilled with her at-bats in the team’s first game Tuesday, but her stroke was just right on the home run, which came with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. “Last game I didn’t hit too good, so this game I really wanted to step in there with a lot of confidence. I was super aggressive,” said Newcombe, who said the team’s spirits needed some lifting after a rough time last weekend in a different event. “It helps us with our confidence to win both games today. It feels great to be back.” Nemeth allowed baserunners in every inning, but she had the ability to truly dial in when a scoring threat emerged. She kept the Thunderbolts’ offense in check, with only one out being recorded from the outfield, and that came on a runner being thrown out at third after trying to extend a double. “When runners are in scoring position, I just try really hard to focus. You don’t want them to get on base, but once they are there, you try to keep them from scoring,” she said. “And really, all I try to do is get ground balls; you don’t need strikeouts, and I know my defense behind me can make the plays. “It was nice to get some runs early, made it a lot easier to pitch, and I’m thankful my teammates came through there in the first inning. And, those home runs were awesome.” Nemeth, a six-footer, also made five plays on grounders back to the circle, fielding her position extremely well. It was the kind of all-around performance that her coach was glad to witness. “Bridget was in control the whole game. She was able to throw the offspeed pitch to keep them off-balance,” Smith said. “She got a lot of strikeouts on that. For her, it’s about hitting her spots and replicating pitches, and she was really on today.” For the Thunderbolts, Anna McClimon had three hits, including a double to lead off the seventh inning. Kamya Brown had a hit and two stolen bases. By Kyle Koso
WESTMINSTER – One of the big head-scratchers in modern sport is the struggle softball has when it comes to securing a spot on the Olympic event schedule. While the sport will take place in the upcoming Tokyo Games, there’s nothing assured about its return anytime soon. In its own way, Triple Crown’s inaugural International Challenge certainly displayed the staying power of the idea of competing for one’s homeland, with 23 teams taking part in three days of passionate action at the Christopher Fields complex. Sunday wrapped up with Team USA Blue just getting past Team South Korea in the gold medal game, with another nailbiter playing out in the bronze medal game as Puerto Rico beat Canada Red. Above and beyond the scoreboard, however, was the sense of pride and meaning so many of the attendees drew from the occasion. Softball became a setting where new relationships and connections were made, where the desire to compete and win didn’t come at the expense of respecting the other team that was trying just as hard to succeed. Manny Travieso, the heart and soul behind the International Challenge concept, took notice that the event seemed to generate a ripple-effect of emotion for coaches, players and parents. “As a coach, I know there is a lot of talent in the US,” said Travieso, who was part of the coaching staff for the Puerto Rico Olympic team. “And there are just so many players who would never get the chance to play for their national team, so I said let’s figure this out. This event might be the only chance they have to get that experience. “And then, there are those players who I wanted to get seen by their national teams. Seven days ago, there were seven girls who went to Israel and got dual citizenship so they could play in (a world championship at) Prague. We hadn’t played a game yet! When you put everything together between girls who have amazing talent and can’t play for a national team, and girls who deserve to be seen by international coaches … it can only elevate the sport.” While it makes sense that players would dive into this moment, it was no less impressive to see parents and grandparents soaking it all in. One mother of a South Korea player was moved to tears; where her daughter was usually the only native of the country on the roster, now there were many more. “I’ve never seen parents cry that way, but they were so proud, and I can only imagine what the future holds,” Travieso said. And to that question, plans are already being discussed and debated for the 2022 International Challenge. One idea is to have a senior and junior division, as you had 14-year-olds all the way to 18’s in the mix this time. “That would allow more players to participate. The Philippines had just one team, an amazing team, but they had enough for more,” Travieso said. “Once it got out on social media, coaches were seeing how this could grow. We first thought about 12 teams, we got to 23 and we didn’t really try that hard. You can feel the positivity, and I wonder if when they go back to their travel team, if they will be bored. This had yelling, and cowbells and maracas … we want to grow it smartly and continue to get international coaches to see the players and hopefully change the game.” By Kyle Koso
AURORA – Once the tempo and tone of Triple Crown’s Elite College Camp took root Monday at Aurora Sports Park, it felt at once very familiar and somewhat alien, all at the same time. With the pandemic shelving moments like this for a year-plus, memories of players digging up grounders and cheering each other on are foggy, but everything regained its focus on the ASP fields, with coaching staffs from numerous top-notch D-1 programs running drills and elevating skills. It’s a keystone moment in the event schedule ahead of the Colorado 4th of July tournament, which included other college camps on Sunday and a fleet of organizational workouts later Monday, where players could again show their stuff in front of active recruiters. About 1,500 athletes took part in the college camps, with hundreds more involved in other workouts. “The key is constantly growing the game. Improvement comes in a lot of forms; attitude and effort, but also work ethic,” said Florida head coach Tim Walton, who had the joint moving crisply in the four-hour session. “To have an opportunity to come to Colorado and work with a bunch of young aspiring D-I softball players is fun. It’s a chance to give back, but also to learn and meet new people. “I feel the individual work ethic actually improved (during the shutdown), so it’s getting back to the team aspect. How to understand one person isn’t the team. All the things we trained for during the pandemic were individual, so how do you come back and get better as a team? Every good coach is never satisfied, always recruiting and always watching … always watching. We’re always looking for great players.” Addison Lund, 14, of the Tennessee Mojo-Abernathy squad got a big jolt of positivity at the clinic, after she drilled a long home run to center field and later doubled during the scrimmage portion of the session. The third baseman thrived on the proximity she enjoyed with one of the nation’s leading coaching staffs. “Knowing that they are here for recruiting, and also to help us get better, it was great to know I could do that in front of them. Hopefully, they’ll keep an eye on me as I go on through high school,” she said. “Hitting like that, right there, takes a lot of weight off my shoulders. Getting on their radar, showcasing my skill to them, getting better as a player … you have to get outside the game to get better. “They were very one-on-one. If they saw something wrong with your mechanics, they pull you over and talk about what to fix, and drills that can help you with getting better. I really liked that. And if you did it again, they’d talk to you and insure that you understood and could do it in a game.” Another athlete who got the needle to jump was 12-year-old Alaina Griffin, who made a remarkable diving catch on a liner to second base and finished the double play, earning applause around the stands and a fist-bump from Walton. The day started with some anxiety, she admitted, but it offered exactly what she was looking for in a clinic. “That felt really good. They are teaching us so much, and it’s exciting to show them what you can do,” said Griffin, who plays for Team NC out of Charlotte. “I wanted to have fun, work hard, hustle and get better. I always get nervous before these kinds of things … they taught me a lot in the four hours we were out here.” Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi and her staff delivered another valuable session, evidenced by the number of players asking to pose for photos with Lombardi at the conclusion. She said being back at the Colorado 4th of July was a treasured return to the familiar. “COVID was tough on all of us, so to get back and feel some normalcy … to be back in Colorado for a tournament we’ve all been coming to for many years and to do an Oregon camp with some teaching, I feel happy and thrilled to be doing that,” Lombardi said. “I think players have been pretty resilient. How they handled COVID, either with a lot of resources or not very many, they were able to continue on and work on the game they love. “This is a great week. Happy to be in Colorado and watching games all day long. To see the athletes on their teams and get after it is great.” WESTMINSTER – Puerto Rico’s 0-3 route through pool play might’ve left a few faithful fans leery about the team’s chances in the 2021 International Challenge.
Back-to-back wins to start Sunday’s bracket play, however, reinvigorated an already raucous crowd. Even with its semifinal loss to eventual Gold Medal Champions USA Blue, 5-3, Puerto Rico still had something to fight for in the Bronze Medal match against Canada Red. Playing for pride and for country, Puerto Rico wouldn’t let the opportunity go by the wayside, walking off Canada in dramatic 7-6 fashion. “I had faith in the girls,” said head coach Eve Soto Suarez. “We had a rough day yesterday going 0-3 but today they came hungry.” Right from the first pitch, everything seemed to go as planned for Puerto Rico. Tatiana Roman led the game off with a single and the home team was off and running. A sacrifice bunt from Kathryia Garcia moved Roman to second, allowing Ana Roman to bring her in with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. The home side needed far less pragmatism to put up runs in the second and third innings with solo shots from Makayla Nieves and Lillyana Travieso. Altogether, the offense was firing at all cylinders for ace pitcher Macey Cintron. “I was trying to hold things down for my team,” said Cintron. “They had already put a run on the board and my job was to keep the lead.” Keep the lead intact she did. Through the first five innings, Cintron surrendered only a single hit and gave up one free pass. With everything falling Puerto Rico’s way, it seemed as if the persistent rain throughout the game hit the ground to the same rhythmic beat of the drums celebrating every step closer to a Bronze Medal. Suddenly, a sharp staccato cut through the chorus of cheers in the top of the sixth inning. Eight straight Canadien batters reached safely to begin the frame, including a trio of iced-cold home runs for the team from the Great White North. In total, Canada plated six runners to spark a string of celebrations of its own, leapfrogging Puerto Rico, 6-5. However, Soto Suarez’s squad wasn’t about to let one minor misstep ruin what had otherwise been a memorable weekend. Reverting to the same formula as the opening inning, singles from Reagan Torres and Makayla Nieves as well as a sacrifice bunt from Juliana Nieves and an intentional walk setup Travieso with an opportunity to end the game with one swing of the bat. “My job was just to hit the ball hard, anywhere,” explained Travieso. “If I walk, oh well, the bases were loaded.” Travieso did indeed hit the ball hard but time and time again could not put it between the foul lines. Agonizingly, the at-bat carried on. “As I got deeper and deeper into the at-bat, I got more and more excited,” Travieso said. “And with that, I also got more and more calm in a way.” “When I saw her in the box, I saw her so peaceful,” said Soto Suarez. “At that moment, I knew she was going to get the hit.” On the fourth 3-2 pitch of the at-bat, Travieso prevailed. Her double down the left-field line brought home two runs and brought her team an International Challenge Bronze Medal. “My grandparents are from Puerto Rico,” explained Travieso. “We’re a big baseball family. I’ve played softball my whole life. I don’t know Spanish very well so the only way I connect with my heritage is through softball. It was special for me to wear the uniform and represent my family watching in the crowd.” “This is just the beginning for us,” Cintron said. “We’ll keep going from here.” By Kyle Koso
WESTMINSTER – With dozens of nationalities represented at Triple Crown’s inaugural International Challenge fastpitch event, there were certain forces that transcended any border, such as the tension of a well-played, extra-inning contest. That’s how the gold medal game at the Christopher Field complex played out Sunday, with Team USA Blue and Team South Korea locked in a classic nailbiter under stormy skies on the eve of the Colorado 4th of July tournament. In the end, an infield out and wild pitch brought home the deciding runs for USA Blue, which eked out a 4-2 victory to claim the championship. Momentum swings and the sweet anxiety that comes with a quality game rippled throughout the contest. USA Blue pitcher Kylie Chung went all seven innings and struck out 12 batters, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and two walks. Laurel Moody hit a game-tying solo home run for USA Blue in the top of the fifth inning; she drove in a run in the seventh on a groundout, and Chung added a run on a wild pitch after reaching earlier on a fielder’s choice. It’s been a whirlwind weekend for Chung, who will play collegiately at Stanford. She flew home to catch her high school team’s playoff game Saturday (in Westlake Village, CA), then came back to Colorado to push her squad into the winner’s circle Sunday. “The game often gets away from people, so I try to slow it down in big moments and hit my spots. I was able to come through for my team today because I was ready when things began to speed up,” said Chung, who mixed her strong fastball with a willingness to go with breaking pitches in any count. “I felt really confident; my catcher Addie (Mettler) and I are on the same (club) team, so we are already on the same page. “When my high school team pulled out a win at regionals, there was no way I was going to let them go to the state championship without me. I knew I had to fly back and be there for my team. And (for the International Challenge), the people on my team … there’s no way I would have met them by random chance. This is a mix of people, and I’m so glad I got to meet them and make new friends.” South Korea took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a single from Katelyn Park, and with starter Kiera Buchar looking strong in the circle, an upset looked more than possible (USA Blue had gone undefeated through the event). But that’s when Moody calmed the vibe with a long home run to left-center. “I was looking for my pitch, and I wanted to play for my pitcher, who was throwing really well,” Moody said. “The home run, just got my pitch and hit it, looking for something down in the zone. We really played together, played for each other and picked each other up. We had a lot of good at-bats.” Paige Dimler (Arizona commit) singled and scored in the fourth inning on a hit by Mettler for the game’s first run; Dimler also made a great throw from center field to ring up a runner trying to extend a hit to a double. These were the type of little moments that made USA Blue ultimately too tough to take down. “It was about being there for each other. At this level, they know they are good, but you still have to execute,” said USA Blue coach Ben McKinney. “Not everyone had their best game, but they knew they had the support of the bench, and everyone played hard. We know to put the ball in play … championships are won by putting balls in play. It worked out for us.” “I want to say thanks to Triple Crown and (event director) Manny Travieso, because this is an amazing event and is just going to blow up big.” WESTMINSTER – For a team that just met less than 48 hours ago, Great Britain is starting to find its rhythm in the 2021 International Challenge.
Despite dropping its first contest of the tournament, Great Britain has rebounded with two victories over the Middle East, 7-5, and rallied past the Dominican Republic, 7-6, in walk-off fashion. “We just met two days ago,” said head coach Tohn Hughes. “We’re out here now playing for each other and playing for our country. It’s a big deal for everyone and it’s brought everyone together.” Great Britain’s Saturday didn’t begin with the most positive of starts. The Dominican Republic, eyeing its first win of the tournament, exploded for three runs in both the first and third innings. Both Graciela Dominguez and Laila Aponte laced home runs, giving the Dominican’s the early advantage. Hughes' girls weren’t going to go away quietly, though. Morgan Salmon replied to the Dominican Republic’s home run bonanza with a two-run shot of her own in the first frame to get Great Britain on the board. Trailing 6-2 entering the fourth inning, Hughes turned to keys over to pitcher Bailey Gertsch. Gertsch who was coming off a stellar performance against the Middle East, picked up right where she left off. In four innings of work, the Dominican Republic only mustered two hits while Gertsch mowed down the rest. “My best pitch is my changeup,” explained Gertsch. “I love throwing those because everyone expects it to be right down the middle and at the last moment, it just drops and leaves everybody chasing.” With Gertsch reasserting Great Britain’s reign in the pitching circle, Hughes' offense went to work at the dish. Two runs in the fourth and another RBI from Salmon brought the Brits all the way back within one, 6-5, with just the seventh inning to play. With the top of the order due up, Hughes knew exactly what needed to be done. Carys Lynch led the frame off with a single, leaving no choice for Salmon but to lay down a sacrifice bunt. The defensive pressure proved too much for the Dominican’s as an error left runners on the corners with no one out. In stepped Imogen Gie. “I heard my dad out of the corner of my ear,” said Gie. “Get [the bunt] down on the ground and move the runners over!.” But the fake bunt and steal worked out a bit better than Gie had scripted. The chaos Great Britain created allowed Lynch to reach home safely and also planted Salmon on second. All of the sudden, Gie’s at-bat turned into a clear-cut walk-off opportunity. One that she knew she wouldn’t waste. “In my first two at-bats, I had flown out to the right-fielder,” Gie said. “I was late on the ball twice and knew I had to be on top of it this time. I saw my cookie pitched, wanted to jump on it and get the win for my team.” Gie’s double to the gap in right-center gave plenty of time for Salmon to cross home and solidify Great Britain’s win, 7-6. “This was a total team win,” said Hughes. “We’re a big team and I was able to use every single player today. As a coach, you can’t ask for much more than that.” While Great Britain’s International Challenge may have started a bit rocky and understandably so, Hughes and company seem to have found a groove, a purpose and a common goal to fight for this weekend. “I’ve never been able to experience anything like this before,” Gertsch said. “It’s so much fun!” “It’s truly an honor,” added Gie. “It’s different when you have a flag across your chest and it’s exciting to be out here.” By Kyle Koso
WESTMINSTER – When trouble is brewing on the softball field, sometimes the only solution is to dive into the problem. It’s an approach that certainly worked for Tara Vandewater, catcher for the Israel White team that was looking for its first win at Triple Crown’s International Challenge on Saturday at the Christopher Fields complex. After having a pitch tick off her mitt and bounce away in the first inning, Vandewater sprung to collect the ball and then flung herself back at home plate, just in time to tag out a Team Italy baserunner steaming in from third base. The key out showed the passion Israel White was bringing to the moment, and the squad followed through with a solid 9-1 victory over Italy that was called via run rule after five innings. Vandewater also singled in the game’s first run in the bottom of the first, and singled and scored in the fifth. “It went off my glove; I’d say it was an error on me. I knew I had to be better back there and do the most I could in that moment,” she said. “I watched a lot of the (Women’s College) World Series and everyone was in love with (James Madison pitcher) Odicci Alexander … I wanted to take bits and pieces of the energy of the World Series and be that spark plug. (When hitting) I’m trying to see pitches early, see it well, swing it hard.” One interesting thing about the Israel White roster is the geographic range. Vandewater is from Nebraska; there are other players from Seattle to Alabama, from New Jersey to southern California. “It’s great; the staff of Israel softball as well as the older kids have really taken advantage of the moment, (inspired) by our religion and ethnicity to bring us together and be proud of what we stand for.” “All these girls are gamers, and they’ve come together so quickly. The first time we met each other was last Tuesday,” said head coach Mike Gross. “They have a passion for the sport and the name on their shirt. So engaged and so involved with each other.” Israel White scored four runs in the second inning, with a two-run single from Sophia Sklar keying the frame. Italy got on the board in the fourth after Hannah Aguilar doubled and came home on a double steal, but Israel White countered in the fifth with extra-base hits from Scarlett Shanedling and Cara Levy. The game ended on an RBI single from Aly Gross. In the circle, Ella Yerkes pitched all five innings for the winning side. She was touched for three hits in the fourth inning but came out in the fifth and retired Italy 1-2-3. “In those (important) moments I’m just focused on hitting my spots, staying in the pitch and not thinking about other things,” Yerkes said. “It’s just me and my catcher, throwing strikes. “This has been really cool. Everyone has been super awesome; we’ve clicked fast, and it’s been a great experience meeting new people.” “I had a pitcher warming up just in case, but Ella got us ground balls and strikeouts, huge ones, when we really needed it,” coach Gross said. “She was painting corners, and the umpire was calling it … when she found that slot, she was excellent. I just met her Tuesday, so I’m not exactly sure what she throws, but she was dynamite today.” Aguilar had two doubles for Italy, and Carmella Muccilli had two singles. WESTMINSTER – After sidestepping Italy, 9-3, Japan held off a late charge from the Netherlands, 3-2, to begin the tournament 2-0.
“Our dugout has been a lot of fun to start this thing,” said head coach Shannon Mortimer. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how well they’ve gelled since getting together in Colorado. We’re just vibing right now.” Japan didn’t have to wait long for its spark offensively. Bella Foran kicked off the contest with a triple to left-field, igniting the Japanese dugout. Two batters later, Ella Murchison drove Foran home to give her team the lead. With the help of starting pitcher Grace Fujino, they would never look back. “I think what helped me most today was my curveball and knuckleball,” Fujino explained. “My curveball allowed me to keep my pitches off of them while my knuckle kept them off balance.” Fujino’s poise in the circle had everyone guessing. The 2022 grad who plays her club ball with SCT- India Chiles breezed through the first seven batters she saw. Her command was so intoxicating, even the Netherlands coach forgot to substitute a player in the bottom of the third frame, ending the inning and keeping a two-run lead intact for Japan. “Her composure on the mound is awesome,” said Mortimer. “She’s very confident in her abilities. Her knuckle is absolutely nasty and that’s what kept them off-balance all afternoon.” Back at the dish, it was Jenaca Seki’s solo shot in the top of the third inning that gave Japan its two-run cushion. “It was high and inside,” Seki said. “All I was trying to do was get my hands on top. I was able to line something out of the park.” An inning later, Mari Takeda Bajan kicked off the fourth with a double that led to a run. Though the Dutch countered with two solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Mortimer’s squad remained undeterred. “Focused is the operative word,” added Mortimer. “They’re focused. They want to win, they want to compete and most importantly, they want to honor Japan.” With time running out in the fifth, it was up to Takeda Bajan to take the reigns and close things out for Japan. In Fujino-like style, Takeda Bajan went three up, three down and struck out the final batter of the afternoon to solidify her team’s second win of the day, 3-2. “A lot of us do things on the quiet side,” Mortimer said. “We had a couple of zoom practices before this so I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to go but I think they all bonded over a common purpose.” “The best thing about this tournament is being able to play with other girls that look like me,” said Takeda Bajan. Team Japan may not have fully known each other a week ago but after two wins on Friday, they are well on their way to making sure everyone at the International Challenge will remember who they were. By Kyle Koso
WESTMINSTER – For a lot of teams at the inaugural International Challenge, one looming question had to center on just how quickly would a group of strangers, albeit one bonded by nationality, figure out how to play together? For Team Philippines, the chemistry and camaraderie has taken root straight out of the gate, as the squad won both its games Friday at the Christopher Fields complex, topping Great Britain (16-4) and then the Dominican Republic in the nightcap, 10-2. There will be just a handful of other 2-0 teams when pool play continues Saturday at 8 a.m. Championship brackets are set to begin at 3 p.m. Against the DR, Team Philippines jumped ahead 6-0, and then responded to its only rough inning with another four runs in the third, with the game called due to time after the top of the fourth inning. Olivia Kam hit a two-run homer early, and Brooke Perez did solid work in relief of Kam to keep the DR offense on ice. “We’re not surprised; we were fortunate to get together and have a practice (earlier), and that prepared us to come together quickly,” said Philippine coach Jennifer Stewart. “I loved the energy, and they’ve just jelled, and that’s been the best thing. We want to be super geeked up, but not cocky. We want to stay humble, play our game and just have fun.” The good times are easy when the offense goes double digits on back-to-back games. Allyssa Alano, a St. Mary’s College commit, had three hits, a run and two RBI, doing a nice job of understanding her role when hitting second in the order. “Our team is like a family, and we are working together. For me, the job was to move the runners over, but if it was bases loaded like it was a couple of times, I want to get the ball in the outfield or at least put it in play,” Alano said. “We expected to go out hard because we’ve been working at it; we didn’t know much about the other teams, so we just figure all the teams are going to be good.” Kyra Chan had two doubles and scored twice from the leadoff spot; Baylee Howley-Bernardo drove in two runs with a double, and Kobie Hura (Rutgers commit) reached base twice, scoring a run and driving in another. Isabella Kam (Dartmouth commit) drove in two runs as well. “First game started a little rough, but we came together and brought the energy. This game, we were on fire with the bats so we wanted to jump on top quickly,” said Olivia Kam, who made a nice easy swing on her home run. “The pitcher left it right there; I was waiting for a mistake, and I took advantage. “We all get along so well. We weren’t forced to do any team bonding, and that has helped us play better.” Emily Albelo singled and scored for the Dominican in the third inning, one of just three hits for the team. By Kyle Koso
WESTMINSTER -- One game in, the Canada White team was one loss down in Friday’s action at the inaugural International Challenge, with one last chance to get it right. That’s when the player wearing No. 1 for the squad, Jorde Chartrand, cured the concerns. Chartrand allowed just two hits and struck out 13 batters in six innings as Canada White posted a 4-0 victory over Team USA Red at the Christopher Fields complex. That helped ease the sting of an early loss to South Korea, as Chartrand worked out of some early trouble and kept USA Red off the board thanks to her baffling changeup and an ability to spot the high fastball and make it constantly tempting to batters. All the offense for Canada came in the bottom of the second inning, with Makalia Schneider driving in two runs on a well-struck single to right-center to get things started. A single from Avery Terpsma brought in a run, and a double from Hailey Bethune earned run No. 4, which was more than enough for Chartrand. The Central Arkansas signee from Saskatchewan worked around a hit, two walks and an error in the first inning, which ended on a bang-bang grounder to shortstop. The defense didn’t have to do much the rest of the way. “It’s all about adjusting to what’s going on in the game, and it’s a different environment from Canada to Colorado. Focusing in on your catcher then is pretty important,” Chartrand said about the first inning. “I was feeling pretty comfortable, getting to playing with everyone. The offense gave me some insurance, which was really helpful, knowing that they had my back and I had theirs. “You not only want to represent your country and do well, but also just win and compete with these bigger teams and countries. It’s an awesome feeling.” Canada White head coach Ashley VanBoxmeer appreciated how her team moved past the loss to South Korea and gave itself time to make a push in Game 2. “You want to come back strong after a not-so-hot start, but they rebounded. This is a team of all Canadians who are young,” she said. “They haven’t played in a year and a half because of COVID, and we told them to leave it all on the field. Jorde struggled some in Game 1, but she came back and gave us what we needed.” Schneider, who just finished her freshman year in high school, showed the savvy of a grizzled veteran in her at-bat in the second inning. Much of it was spent with two strikes as she fought off numerous pitches; she eventually measured up the perfect swing, driving the ball to the gap and getting two runners home with ease. “I was thinking abut what I need to do mechanically, looking at the release point and being aggressive. A couple swings were maybe mistakes, but I was looking for the outside high pitch so I could drive it and get the runners home,” Schneider said. “This is really nice. I like having the Canada leaf on my chest. It’s exciting to play for this team, and excited to see how we do in this tournament.” “We always say, ‘Pass the bat, Pass the bat.’ Be a spark, and she was a spark for us. We’re learning, and we see how those big swings get you fired up,” VanBoxmeer said. “It was a fighting at-bat, and to win it gives her team confidence … the next one wants to step up and pass the bat as well.” Team USA Red won its first game Friday against Mexico White, and in Game 2 got a stellar relief effort from Brianna Lopez (Corona Angels), a University of Hawaii signee. She went four innings and allowed three hits while notching eight strikeouts. Weather permitting, games will continue Friday, with bracket play taking over Saturday and championship day wrapping up Sunday before the start of Triple Crown’s Colorado 4th of July tournament. Proving that the sports world is hungry for a return to normalcy, and also on the hunt for something special, Triple Crown Sports will welcome a record 1,000 teams to Colorado’s Front Range for the 4th of July (Sparker/Fireworks) event, slated for June 25-July 4, 2021.
Stretching from the northern communities of Fort Collins and Greeley all the way down the I-25 corridor through Denver to Colorado Springs, the 4th of July tournament has rebounded fiercely from the pandemic-related disruptions of 2020 to once again welcome age groups 12u through 18u. The nation’s most competitive and high-achieving club programs will arrive in droves as the TCS fastpitch division puts 33 complexes and 155 fields in motion. The event has long been a prized destination for college coaches and programs as they look for talent to fortify their rosters. Showcase games as well as tournament play will put athletes in front of more than 500 coaches; added value comes through a series of camps and clinics directed by the coaching staffs from national D-I powerhouses through NAIA and JUCO programs. New to the 4th of July menu is the TC International Challenge, which kicks off the excitement from June 25-27 at the Christopher Fields complex in Westminster. These 23 teams were built on rosters that give players a unique opportunity to represent their nationalities and will be another recruiting highlight on the schedule. Tournament officials are gearing up for two powerful convergence moments during the event, on the evenings of June 30 at Christopher Fields and July 1 at Aurora Sports Park. Both nights will feature all-star and power pool games to be broadcast by FloSports along with multiple vendors, food and merchandise options – thousands of people are expected to attend each location. Other key numbers revolving around the Colorado 4th of July event include:
“Even as the pandemic sidelined so many teams and kept Triple Crown Sports on hold for months, we kept in contact with our customers and resolutely prepared to make the 2021 4th of July event everything it could be,” said TCS fastpitch event director Stephanie Klaviter. “To welcome back so many loyal customers and break participation records is enormously exciting. We’ve missed the competition and the opportunity to help grow the sport, and we will put all our effort into making these 10 days a powerful, memorable experience for players, parents and coaches.” “We are pleased to welcome Triple Crown Sports back to our community. There is no question about the significant economic effect that tourism brings, and tournaments such as the Colorado 4th of July add a large boost to our city at a time we so desperately need it in the aftermath of COVID,” said Juliet Abdel, president and CEO of the Westminster Chamber of Commerce. “Attendees spend dollars in gas, food, lodging and retail. This is pivotal to key areas of job creation, revenue for the betterment of our community’s infrastructure needs and our economy, which will ensure business doors stay open and families are taken care of.” “Loveland is thrilled to welcome back the Colorado 4th of July tournament for 2021,” said Chris Bierdeman, group sales coordinator for Visit Loveland. “With the majority of the pandemic restrictions now lifted, we look forward to sharing the beauty of Loveland and northern Colorado with the thousands of players, families, coaches and staff visiting from all over the U.S. The economic impact from an event of this magnitude for a small city like Loveland is huge — that is especially true for our hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions, which really struggled over the past 14 months.” Back on the diamond and back in action, Triple Crown Sports will kick off its signature 4th of July event on Wednesday, July 1. Normally held across the Front Range of Colorado, this year’s tournament has been split into three distinct regions (Colorado, Tennessee and Texas).
The three-region concept has allowed teams the flexibility to travel drive-radius distances, making summer navigation as comfortable as possible for youth softball programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am grateful for all of the coaches and teams who have supported us through these difficult times,” said 4th of July Event Director Stephanie Klaviter. “Good luck and stay safe.” Throughout all regions, teams are guaranteed at least six games and a stellar field of competition. Each location is also equipped with All-Academic and Showcase games, open to all individual participants of the tournament. In Colorado, the 4th of July event will represent the third of four weeks in the newly-formed TC Youth Fastpitch League. More than 100 teams from the Rocky Mountain state will compete in separate pools throughout the week, filtering into others depending on their records during the event. The Tennessee region will feature 180 teams from 23 states, while Texas will host over 100 clubs from the surrounding states, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and others. The event’s infamous Power Pools have remained intact across each region, detailing the strength and depth of talent across the country. “We can’t wait to get started,” said fastpitch Event Director Alyson Carter. “We know how much teams look forward to this event year in and year out. I’m glad that our hard work has paid off and we can get each of them on the diamond this week!” In conjunction with Sports UAC (United Against COVID), Triple Crown Sports has worked diligently to create a set of protocols to ensure the safety of athletes, coaches and fans. The guidelines have been vetted by other governing bodies, municipalities, event managers, public health sectors, coaches and more. In addition to these new rules, TCS is also following strict CDC recommendations. “It certainly isn’t going to look like the same 4th of July that we’ve grown accustomed to,” said Triple Crown founder Dave King. “But we have a stacked field, we’re all excited to be playing again and we’re looking forward to watching some ball!” Triple Crown Sports’ signature fastpitch event, the Colorado 4th of July tournament, will take on a different shape in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and making summer travel as comfortable as possible for youth softball programs.
There will be four distinct regional 4th of July events this year, all of them with the same format of a 6-game guarantee in the 18u/16u/14u/12u age groups. The date range is expected to be June 29-July 7 (depending on team count and facility availability), with Power Pools and Open Divisions at each setting: Southern California (Riverside/Chino Hills) Colorado (Denver Metro) Tennessee (Chattanooga) Texas (Houston/The Woodlands) As of mid-May, different parts of the United States are approaching the return of sports with different timelines. Triple Crown will be monitoring the situation at these four regions on a daily basis and communicating with teams when there is news to share. Triple Crown has multiple plans under consideration that will be dedicated to ensuring the safety and health of athletes, coaches and fans. Each 4th of July event will be run while keeping teams and spectators at the heart of our safety protocols. The four-region concept allows teams to start making plans now for their 4th of July experience, which will feature terrific competition and thus attract, as always, a variety of college programs who will use the event as a key piece of their strategy for recruiting future players. This is also a great opportunity for teams that don't usually travel to Colorado to play in the event. “After reaching out to hundreds of club programs, we know that traveling this summer is a concern for teams. Triple Crown has the contacts and connections to make a regional 4th of July happen,” said event director Stephanie Klaviter. “There are ways to get back on the field safely, and we see various complexes coming back and ready to open. With multiple regions, teams can pick the best fit and also ease some of the travel demands in a time where being closer to home might feel more comfortable.” For more information, please contact: Stephanie Klaviter (970) 672-0531 stephanie@triplecorwnsports.com Alyson Carter (970) 672-0571 alyson@triplecrownsports.com by Sergio Santistevan
There is truly no offseason in softball, and as Triple Crown summer fastpitch individual events prove, recruiting is a 24/7 job. “Triple Crown, in my experience, I know (has) extremely good tournaments to go to,” said team manager Michele Waters of the Arctic Heat 18u, who credits these events for helping many of her players get recruited. The first recruiting event of the year, Zoom into June, will take place on June 4-8 in West Covina, Riverside and Hemet, CA. Entering its 10th year, Zoom into June is the largest recruiting showcase on the West Coast and is widely viewed as the best early recruiting showcase on the calendar. Zoom into June offers five days of jam-packed action for players to get noticed by various college coaches. The event provides a plethora of showcase games, such as Organizational Workouts, Uncommitted 2020 and 2021 Workout, OnDeck Camp, All-Star and All-Academic games. On top of all the individual showcase action, teams get the opportunity to compete in a five-game guarantee format, so college programs get to see players in real-game situations. In 2019, more than 200 college coaches attended Zoom Into June and recruited plenty of talent as over 400 teams competed in the games and over 450 individuals attended extra showcase and camp opportunities. If Zoom into June doesn’t fit into the calendar, workouts at the Valley Invite on June 19 in Portland marks another opportunity for players to get noticed by college programs. In previous years, college representatives from major DI colleges were in attendance along with JUCO and NAIA representatives. Last year, over 200 teams registered in the five-game guarantee tournament; this year, the Valley Invite format will be different than in previous years, but coaches and players can still expect a high-level tournament, individual events and college coaches with recruiting on their mind. One of Triple Crown signature fastpitch events lights up Colorado through June 28- July 5. Teams throughout the United States will participate in the annual Colorado 4th of July Sparkler & Fireworks. The tournament consists of a six-game guarantee and modified elimination formats. “The Colorado Sparkler & Fireworks have been around for a very long time. They are extremely organized and extremely beneficial. If anybody can get their teams to those tournaments, we would recommend it,” said Waters. “That’s where the girls get the scholarships from. Ninety percent of our girls get our scholarships from those tournaments.” This year the 2020 Power Pool playoff system will be enhanced, as the top teams in the U.S. Club Rankings and certain at-large teams will be invited to participate. All the action kicks off on June 28 with College Camp Sunday, which provides high-tempo workouts and drills from college coaches at the Aurora Sports Park. On Elite College Camp Monday, nationally recognized college coaching staffs will host workouts for a small group of 40 participants to help refine skills and develop a deeper understanding of the game. Programs that have been confirmed for their camp so far include the University of Oregon, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. On Tuesday, June 30, uncommitted junior and seniors will run through specific skill stations administered by TCS staff. This event is open to any unsigned graduates in the 2020 or 2021 class and JUCO players. Over the years, this event has hosted over 100 college coaches and had over 50 participants, so it presents a great chance for players to be recruited. Hundreds of college colleges are attending Colorado 4th of July Sparkler & Fireworks event this year, ranging from DI’s University of New Mexico and the University of Hawaii to NAIA’s Bethel University. Don’t miss out on getting noticed by college coaches at any of these TCS fastpitch opportunities this summer! During the CO 4th of July, there will be hundreds of games where college coaches will be in the stands and at the backstop watching the action.
But that’s hardly the only time and place where your daughter can work with, talk with and flex her skills with many college coaches, who have already cleared their schedules to be in Colorado for this important moment on the fastpitch calendar. Here are 4 ways to guarantee your daughter gets in front of college coaches during the CO 4th of July: #1 | College Camp Sunday/Elite Camp Monday Last year we had nearly 30 elite NCAA programs running high-tempo, high-achieving camps that put players and coaches together for critical instruction and skill building. It’s a perfect way to sharpen your game right before tournament play begins. #2 | Showcase Games These matchups are segmented by graduation year, which makes it easy for recruiters to hone in on the right fit. Teams will be coached by college coaches, who will share insight and instruction in real time. #3 | All-Academic Showcases These games are specifically rostered to put unsigned players in front of the schools that fit a high-achieving academic profile. More than 100 college coaches insist on catching the action, including those coaching the teams. #4 | Unsigned Senior/JUCO Showcases Another chance to sharpen skills and turn it loose for players who still hunger for a chance to play after high school. We’ll brings upward of 100 coaches into this part of the event, where deals are often made by the end of the day. Triple Crown will help you find the best situation when it comes to playing in front of college coaches. Enjoy your time in Colorado, compete with passion in the tournament, and make progress on your dream to play at the next level. Have Questions? Contact: Sarah Pow Call/Text: (970) 672-0514 Email: sarahpow@triplecrownsports.com By Kyle Koso
AURORA, Colo. – With 22 players on the roster, a healthy amount of noise can get generated by the 18u Oro Valley Suncats-Judge when the entire dugout decides to chip in. And even though it’s one-at-a-time when it comes to swinging the bat, the Suncats can amplify to an impressive volume there, as well. The Suncats capped off a near-flawless journey in Triple Crown’s Fireworks 18u Power Pool with a top-to-bottom performance in the title game, moving past Tampa Mustangs-TJ by a score of 9-3 on Sunday at the Aurora Sports Park. It took a few innings for the Suncats to get untracked, but bursts of four runs in the fourth inning and five more in the fifth elevated their comfort level and added to the feel of celebration and fun that the team exhibited all afternoon. Starting pitcher Morgan Leinstock, who is headed to Arizona State this fall, was stellar in the circle, allowing four hits and striking out six, staying out of serious trouble with the Mustangs’ batting order. Madelyn Bejarano (Central Florida) was a terror at the leadoff spot with four RBI and four hits, including a seal-the-deal three-run homer in the fifth. There’s nothing inevitable about hitting the ball, but the Suncats feel they will usually find a way to create offense. “I couldn’t be happier for these girls. People don’t know how much they work outside of tournaments and games; we weight train and run together and work real hard,” said Suncats coach Todd Judge. “I’ve had two or three teams a year, and this time I decided to take just one team and put all my efforts there. They have great chemistry. “They get down, they don’t panic. And I know how good the Tampa Mustangs are; I didn’t get comfortable even with a six-run lead. Morgan is a great kid and her energy … the girls on the team just absolutely love her. She’s just tapping into her potential.” Leinstock was tough with her drop ball and changeup, and she was about to get real tough on her coach if he hadn’t let her take the ball to the circle for the championship game. “I was never nervous about the offense; I believe in them and in this team. I knew they could do their thing,” she said. “I don’t get nervous. I always think, go after the batters and attack the zone. It’s the game; you just have to have fun. I told my coach, after I pitched the other games today, and said Coach Todd, I got this. I want this big game. I was so excited to have the chance.” The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. With two outs, Brooklyn Lucero (North Carolina State) lifted a single to center, that bounced away from the diving centerfielder, and that allowed Avery Goelz (Florida) to score from first base. Bejarano drove in the Suncats’ third run with a single in the fourth. Her homer in the fifth came with two strikes, an at-bat where she was more excited about the opportunity than worried about being down in the count. “We know we’re going to come back. I did relax, and we feel we’ve done it before so we will do it again. I’ve never seen our team hit like we did this weekend,” she said. “She was throwing pretty hard, and then I got a bunch of up-balls. I took two hard cuts and said, well with two outs, I might as well go for it. I got another up-ball and just took a swing. “We were taking it one game at a time, but we knew we could take it all, and it was in our hands.” The Suncats started Sunday with a 6-4 win over AZ Hotshots Gold-Davis, then they topped the Scrap Yard Internationals, 11-4. In the semis, they beat Atlanta Premier Gold, 7-2. Alynah Torres (Arizona State) homered for the Suncats against the Mustangs to start the fifth inning. Katelyn Kistler (Florida) walked, doubled and scored for the Mustangs, and Lucero had two hits. AURORA, Colo. -- CA Breeze’s journey to the 16u Power Pool Championship wasn’t perfect but they defied the odds nonetheless. Losing two consecutive games to Impact Gold-Jazz and Firecrackers-Brashear, the Breeze rallied together, regrouped and rattled off seven straight wins, including a 3-1 victory Sunday over Hotshots Premier-Dumezich to claim the 16u Power Pool title.
“We tried to keep it simple this week,” said head coach Jennifer Birch. “We tell them to fight, compete and to never give up. That’s what they did, and I’m so proud of them. “We came back from two huge losses. We were down in the gutter but picked ourselves up and decided to fight.” As both starting pitchers cruised through the opening frame, the Breeze looked for some early scoring in the top of the second inning. Lauren Asia’s one-out single and stolen base put herin scoring position. Two batters later, Kyra Gooler’s single brought Asia home, putting the Breeze up 1-0. Immediately, Hotshots Premier countered. Utilizing a one-out single of its own, Ryleigh Mata drove in Kylee Jack to make it one apiece. “That was a really good team,” said Grace Stover. “We knew we just had to keep our energy up in the dugout and keep to our game plan.” The game’s pace quickened as neither team could muster a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. For Breeze, the combination of stellar defensive play and Jenna Birch in the circle proved too much for Hotshots at the Aurora Sports Park. “I was hitting my spots with my outside fastball,” explained Birch. “I knew that as long as I could do my job, I knew my defensive would be there to make plays behind me.” Through seven total innings, Birch surrendered just one run on three hits. The right-hander only struck out two, allowing her defense to do most of the work. Birch did join the defensive effort, though, recording six assists in the field. “Jenna is our workhorse,” said coach Birch of her daughter. “We go where she goes. She’s our leader and she sets the tone. “I was skeptical about pitching her in this game, I really was. My husband, who is our new assistant coach, told me before the game to give her a chance at greatness and she did her thing.” With the game knotted at 1-1 in the top of the seventh, something had to give in the game’s waning moments. Back-to-back singles from Jazlyn Kalehuawehe and Kyra Gooler quickly put a runner in scoring position for the Breeze with Grace Stover at the plate. Stover's hard-hit ball to second forced a miscue from the Hotshot defense, scoring the go-ahead run. “Honestly, I was just trying to get it to the right side and move the runners over,” Stover said. “I was feeling a lot of pressure but I knew that if I just got on top of it and put it in play, things were going to happen.” The Breeze weren’t finished just yet. Looking for a bit of insurance, Daniella Guererra moved both runners over with sacrifice bunt, setting up Claudia Medina for a sac-fly to make it 3-1. In the final half inning, Birch wasn’t about to let the championship out of her sight. With a runner aboard, two out and facing a childhood teammate at the plate, Birch shut the door with a fly out to center. “I knew I had to keep working for my team,” Birch said. “It’s a truly special moment. Nothing like this has ever happened in our lives. It means everything.” Birch and the Breeze close out the week in style as the small California-based team triumphed to a 16u Power Pool Championship. It’s something that coach Jennifer Birch will never forget as a coach and as a mother. “I’m stunned,” Birch said. “It doesn’t feel real. It wasn’t easy and they may not ever have this moment again. I hope they will never forget this because I certainly won’t.” COMMERCE CITY, Colo.- The Impact Gold Holeman Premier had only lost once in the 2019 Fireworks tournament going into Sunday's championship game and that was to OCBB-Bracamonte. The two teams found themselves in a rematch for the Fireworks 18 & under title and it was the OCBB-Bracamonte club that proved to be Impact Gold's kryptonite; winning the championship 9-1 in five innings at Capra Field.
"These girls really work hard and it's a good group," said OCBB-Bracomonte head coach Tony Bracamonte of his team's performance. "They've been pressing and pressing to get these results." Coming off a walk-off win in the semifinal, Impact Gold Holeman Premier carried that momentum to an early 1-0 lead after starting pitcher Karsen Pierce helped her cause with a two-out RBI infield single in the top of the first inning. OCBB-Bracamonte responded and a big way in the bottom half of the inning, sending twelve batters to the plate and delivering multiple two-out RBI hits to hang eight runs on Impact Gold starter Pierce. Lily Martinez, Emily Baez and Sarah Risler each connected in the clutch with two-out 2-RBI hits in the offensive onslaught. Risler went 2-for-2 in the inning with a single and a double. With a lead of 8-1, OCBB-Bracamonte starter Julia Cabral went into cruise control allowing just three hits in five innings work, including two strike-outs. Cabral's biggest challenge came in the top of the third inning when Impact Gold had the loaded the bases with two outs. The threat was escaped after forcing a groundout to the right side leading to a runners interference call to end the inning. The lone offensive bright spot for the Impact Gold was right fielder Kennedy Terry who went 2-for-2 with a single and a double. First baseman Riley Rovacoba plated another run in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice groundout; giving OCBB-Bracamonte a 9-1 lead and the eight run cushion they needed. Cabral, with the help of an infield boasting three commitments to Colorado State, turned away all three batters in the bottom half of the fifth securing the Fireworks 18u Championship & an undefeated tournament record. "Confidence is everything and it's an everyday thing," said Coach Bracamonte of his team moving forward. "We will keep this together and continue to play well." Texas Bombers Gold HTX-Burgess uses balanced offensive attack to win 14U Power Pool championship7/7/2019 By Michael Roley
ERIE, Colo – A few minutes before the start of the 14U Power Pool Championship game, a few players from the Texas Bombers Gold HTX-Burgess team were tossing a Frisbee around in foul territory by the dugout as they waited for the game to begin. As it turns out, they do that regularly before games to help them relax. Well, it may have done the trick as the Bombers won the title game over Orange County Batbusters-Flores by a score of 10-2 to capture the 14U Power Pool Championship of the Junior Sparkler tournament. For the week, the Bombers finished with an impressive record of 11-1. “It’s really exciting to be in a tournament like this,” said Aiyana Coleman, who had three hits and three RBIs in the game.” It’s a national tournament and we were just really pumped and we were trying really hard to win this.” The Bombers got off to an early lead, jumping out to a 6-1 lead after three innings and a 9-1 advantage in the sixth. From there, they didn’t look back as starting pitcher Marlen Sandoval kept the Batbusters offense from finding any groove. Coleman drove in Katie Lott on a double for the Bombers’ first run in the opening frame. Then, in that pivotal third inning, Amiah Burgess started things off with a single. After getting moved over on a sacrifice bunt, Kayden Henry launched a two-run home run over the fence that broke a 1-1 tie and put the Bombers ahead for good. “I just saw the opportunity to help my team out,” Henry said. “And I saw the pitch and I took it.” Lott followed Henry’s dinger with a single and then Coleman ripped a double just inside the third base line. Victoria Valdez walked and suddenly, the bases were loaded. Klarissa Martinez and Seleste Compian hit back-to-back RBI singles and the Bombers were ahead 5-1. Shelby Frazier added an RBI groundout that rounded out the five-run inning. Going in the Bombers knew that this game wasn’t going to be easy. The Batbusters were coming off an exciting one-run win in their semifinal matchup. “We knew the championship wasn’t going to be handed to us and that we needed to work for that,” Coleman said. The Bombers tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth. Coleman hit her second double, this time with two runs scoring. Compian added an RBI single in that inning, as well. Emma Landauer substituted into the game and blasted a solo home run to centerfield to lead off the seventh and put the Bombers’ lead at 10-2. Perhaps the Frisbee throws helped ease the players’ minds before the game. But more than that, their approach at the plate remained simple and they avoided trying to do too much. “I feel like in that game we were more focused on just trying to get one run at a time than trying to hit it far,” Henry said. And it also helps that once one batter or a handful of hitters got going at the plate, that spread to everyone else in the lineup. Eventually, the result became everybody in the batting order piecing together solid at-bats and hitting the ball hard. “It’s very contagious,” Coleman said. “It’s like a disease almost.” Sandoval pitched six innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits. Halie Pappion came on in relief and pitched a scoreless seventh while striking out two of the three batters she faced. The Batbusters got on the board early in the first on an RBI single from catcher Oakley Bates. Bates also drove in the second run for the Batbusters on a sacrifice fly after they got traffic on the bases following a lead-off single from Presley Hosick and a bunt single from Ailana Agbayani. To get to the championship game, the Bombers began the day with a 10-6 win over West Bay Warriors Gold in the quarterfinals and then won a tight 3-2 game over FC Brashear 2022 to reach the finals. Going home with the championship is surely a good feeling. But doing so with a week’s worth of memories with your team just adds to it. “I think mostly I’ll remember the beautiful skies and scenery and just having fun with my team,” Henry said. By Adam Dunivan
WESTMINSTER, Colo. -- There was nothing mystical about the run to the 2019 18U Colorado Sparkler championship for Illusions Gold Villegas. Simply put, all three phases of the game came to play for the entire week, and coach George Villegas's team from Texas had a Sunday championship bracket run that rivaled anything the organization had ever done previously at this nationally renowned tournament. It concluded at the Tepper Fields with a 4-1 win over a good Firecrackers Humble (Huntington Beach, Calif.) -- the biggest hit supplied by Caleigh Robinson in the first inning as she smacked a three-run home run to give her team an early lead. Pitcher Taryn Westbrook and the defense behind her made that stand up. "We knew after (the quick start) that our energy was going to be up and that we were fine, and with the defense behind me I just knew things were going to turn out okay," Westbrook said after the game ended and celebration began. "(The tournament) was amazing. This whole week we've been hitting and scoring so many runs. And we've gotten so much closer as a team, so I'm glad we went out like this." "It was really special, coming all the way from Texas to do this, and just all the work we've put in and some things we've gone through, we've fought through and this is a high point for us," added Avalon Sanchez, who had two hits and drove in the team's fourth run, in the third inning. The team won nine straight games to take the title, squeaking past Texas Elite Fastpitch Ryan 5-4 in the semifinals. Only two other games of theirs were close ... until the championship tilt. The Firecrackers, who played seven games in the final two days of the tournament in order to reach the championship, put together good at-bats in almost all of their seven innings against the Illusions, including loading the bases in each of the first two innings. But Westbrook managed to escape each of those situations was minimal damage as the Firecrackers were only able to plate a single run, that coming in the second frame when Terra Goetz drove home Lily Gallardo with a groundball out. Tim Humble's team continued to get baserunners early in innings, but the squad just couldn't come up with the big base knock that could keep them in it. "I think we had runners in scoring position with less than two outs in our first five innings, and we scored one run," Humble said. "Their pitcher threw a good game, moved the ball in the zone up and down on us, and we just didn't get any hits. She out-pitched us." "We had really good pitching, and with Taryn being able to get ahead in counts it allowed us to be able to throw different pitches in the strike zone that got the batters to bait to them," Sanchez said. "We had solid defense, and we knew they could field anything that was hit to them." The Firecrackers had one last chance to make a game of it in the bottom of the seventh inning and Alexis Clancy made it interesting with a one-out base hit to bring up Andrea Belme. But Westbrook got her to bounce a ball to shortstop Rylee Obroski that had game ending double-play written all over it, and the execution was pristine to register the game-clinching outs. "It was a battle on both sides, for sure," Westbrook said. "I was just trying to get that groundball so that we had a chance to get a double play, and when they actually turned it ... it was just so exciting to see that." The Illusions will get to play closer to home as soon as July 18, taking plenty of momentum into the Triple Crown Southwest Nationals. LOVELAND, Colo. – The Colorado Sparkler Juniors is regarded as one of the top 14u tournaments in the country each summer. To finish 10-0 and knock off another undefeated team in PS33 Academy in the championship game is downright impressive. That’s exactly what All-Out 04 from Tuscaloosa, AL did Sunday afternoon at Barnes Complex on its way to claim the 14 Open Gold Championship 13-9 in front of a raucous crowd of family and friends, many of whom drove 18-plus hours to be in Colorado for the tournament. “It means everything for us to win this,” said head coach Brett Smith. “Coming here from Alabama and not really having any expectations against 138 teams and then to go undefeated. I am so proud of my girls.” Instead of chants of “Roll Tide” coming from the Alabama faithful it was “Lets Go Scoot”! That’s right, Trinity “Scoot” Wilkinson had herself a game scoring five runs, two doubles, a single and a home run. “Trinity Wilkinson is probably one of the top 14u players in the nation. She may not get the recognition she needs, but this kid hit about eight home runs this week and batted over 565. She has been very huge to our success,” said Smith. All-Out combined for 20 hits in the game and trailed 5-3 heading into the fourth inning. With two outs the Alabama team recorded five runs on eight consecutive hits to jump ahead 8-5. “We preached all week to score every inning. We knew it was going to be a shootout with this team. They hadn’t gave up many runs all tournament, so it was key for us to score every inning we could.” The team added one more run in the fifth off a deep home run over the centerfield fence by Wilkinson to lead 9-6 after five. “I knew it was going to be a tough game, but I kept telling my team that we can do this,” said Wilkinson. All-Out would give themselves a little bit more cushion adding one run in the sixth and three more in the seventh. PS33 looked like they were going to make it interesting in the bottom of the seventh scoring three runs, but a stellar defensive effort by All-Out ended the game. Starting pitcher Mimi Gooden threw all seven innings and held the PS33 offense to one of their lowest outings of the tournament. “It means the whole world to my team to win this especially our pitcher (Mimi Gooden). She pitched her butt off and our offense was locked in. I am so proud of our girls,” said Wilkinson. By Dan Mohrmann
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Two days after Fourth of July celebrations dwindled down in the Pikes Peak Region, 2006 Texas Glory RWB decided it was time for more fireworks. And the girls wasted no time in lighting them off. A six-run first inning set the tone as Glory beat Texas Glory Adkins 14-3 to claim the 12u championship at the Sparkler Juniors Tournament at the Skyview Complex in Colorado Springs. The two teams are rivals in their home state, increasing the stakes for the championship game in each dugout. “It was definitely intense,” RWB coach Ryan Hooker said. “Our girls were fired up. They’re a great team and we battle all the time. The last two times we got them but the time before that, they got us. There’s a lot of great kids on both sides.” Adkins took an early 2-0 in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-run home run from Lucy Crowder. RWB was able to hold off any more damage before getting its first go-round at the plate. With a runner on base in the bottom of the first, Emilee Prochaska took an aggressive hack at the ball and almost immediately after contact was made, her fist went into the air in celebration. Her two-run bomb tied the game and made RWB feel a little at ease after giving up those two runs in the top of the inning. “We were (worried),” Prochaska said. “But I knew we would come back. We’re a fighting team.” And that fight continued to show in the first inning. Lyndsey Hooker reached base on a walk and then Hallie Day firmly put momentum with RWB with a two-run blast of her own to make it a 4-2 game in the blink. “It felt good,” Day said. “It was my first one (of my life) so I was very proud of myself. It adds a lot because this whole thing, we all earned it and it was a team effort.” Taylor Roberts – the starting pitcher for RWB – added an RBI single to push the lead to 5-2 and force Adkins coach Ben Slade to make a pitching change. He placed Crowder on the mound in place of Kiersten Fincannon, but at that point it felt like there was nothing slowing down RWB. Luciana Moreno scored on a wild pitch before Adkins was able to get out of the inning. A fielding error by RWB in the top of the second inning allowed Samantha Garcia to score for Adkins, but that would be the final run to cross the plate for them. RWB went right back to work in the bottom of the inning. They had scored two runs before Grace Weaver ripped a two-RBI double to the gap to push the lead to 10-3. Moreno and Roberts each drove in runs before Prochaska drove in her third run of the night with a ground-rule double to put RWB up 13-3. Another run made it a 14-3 game and Coach Hooker sent Sadie Beck out to pitch and close things out in the third. A quick strike out and groundout put RWB on the verge of winning. One runner reached, but it wouldn’t be enough as one more groundout to short sent the RWB dugout into a frenzy. “It’s huge,” Hooker. “These kids, anything we ever ask of them, they do it. They just keep fighting. Coming into the bracket we won three in a row then lost a tight one this morning and they just kept rallying. I just asked them to keep their composure and stay within themselves and they did. And now they’re Sparkler champs.” Which just means more luggage to take on the way home. But in this case, there’s no problem finding room to store it for the drive back. By Adam Dunivan
ARVADA, Colo. -- Jay Russell's Factory 16U Gold has been a factory of wins at the 2019 Colorado Sparkler. Just three more victories, and they can call themselves champions. The San Diego-based team with Florida Gators-inspired threads have overcome a tough start to the tournament and will be riding a five-game win streak to Sunday's Mt. Elbert Championship Bracket play after beating the So Cal Choppers VC by a 6-2 count at the Lutz Fields in Arvada. A four-run fourth inning was more than enough as pitcher Auriel Yeager kept the Choppers bats from getting anything solid. "For the most part, clutch hitting and awesome pitching ... our pitcher Auriel stepped up and has been pitching lights-out every single game," said Russell, whose team is stacked with mostly rising seniors. "We're on fire right now and really just performing to our potential." Yeager was calm and collected in the circle, cutting corners in brilliant fashion as she held the Choppers to single runs in the second and fifth innings, both runs coming with two outs on the board. Meanwhile, a two-run first inning for Factory Gold proved to be an efficient start, and Jacquie Clark's two-run single as part of that four-run fourth capped off the scoring for the win. Also in the fourth inning, Jessica Moore's sacrifice bunt attempt was misplayed for another run and the team also utilized a double-steal to nab another one. Clark said that playing with the lead was huge, and that adding insurance runs was vital as well to getting The Factory past yet another really tough team. "It felt really good getting those runs in, knowing we had those insurance runs and being able to go back out onto the field and just knowing we only needed to get those three outs and then it was done," Clark said. The Factory's defense was off-and-on, but they did turn a couple of double plays including one in the sixth inning that seemed to seal So Cal's fate. They'll resume play at 8 a.m. on Sunday as one of eight teams vying for that ultimate prize. "It's pretty special to be part of that championship bracket, because there's, what, 1,000 teams here?" Russell said. "Now hopefully we can just close the deal." By Adam Dunivan
ARVADA, Colo -- With Saturday's accelerated play at the 16U Colorado Sparkler, and with elusive spots in the Sunday championship bracket on the line, the margin for error was quite small for the 16U Originals Threat in its Mt. Elbert Bracket A winner's game at Lutz Field. And fortunately for head coach Kevin Murphy, his team had his back in the third inning of what turned out to be just a four-inning game against the Salt Lake Vision. A lineup card issue was brought up right at the beginning of that momentum-swinging frame, but the Originals didn't let that rattle them in a five-run inning that eventually led to a 7-4 win. "Even I can be a little dumb sometimes," Murphy told his team after. Honest mistake, coach. And in reality, the Originals made enough plays, capitalized on some Vision mistakes and got good enough pitching from the get-go to emerge victorious. "We took advantage of some mistakes, and really they were the ones on their game," Murphy later said of his girls. "They played well. They hit well and they took advantage of the errors. Everybody has been playing well and I couldn't be more proud of this group." It was the sixth straight win for the Kansas City, Missouri-based organization and now they find themselves in the eight-team Sparkler Mt. Elbert Championship Bracket. That begins Sunday morning at 8 a.m. MDT, with the championship game set for 2 p.m. Not bad for a team that had only two pitchers to start and are now down to just one -- Antonia Muniz. "With the one pitcher, it's lit a fire in us a little bit because we want to help her as much as we can," said teammate Hadley Uribe, who smacked base hits in all three of her at-bats. "On defense, we don't want to make any errors because we want to do this for her. We all love each other and we're all really best friends and we just want to play for each other." The O's threatened to get some runs from the start by loading the bases in the top of the first inning, but didn't strike until that third inning after spotting the Vision two runs. Uribe drove in a run with her second hit of the game, but an error got two more runs home to make it 3-2. Irelynn West and Kinlei Boley each drove home runs with base hits, as well, to make it 5-2. The Vision got back in it with a run in the bottom of the third when Taylor Weber got a two-out, bases-loaded base knock but the O's defense helped keep that to just the one run and then Muniz got a strikeout to get out of the jam. In the fourth, it was speed again that led to more O's runs. Rylie Boyer beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt after a pitching change, and her base hit gave way to another Uribe hit to right field. A throwing error then allowed Boyer to cross the plate with ease. "Making sure we were playing aware and just looking for extra bases and not just settling for what we think we're going to get," Uribe said. "Looking for the next thing." The Vision didn't give up, scratching across a run and getting the tying run to home plate before the game ended with a fly ball out to left field. By Michael Roley
There wasn’t anything flashy about it. And there didn’t need to be. The East Coast Firecrackers (New Hampshire) ground its way to a hard-fought 5-3 win over the California Firecrackers-Humble in a matchup of two teams who sported the same team name but hailed from two different ends of the country. “It was gritty,” head coach Tori Constantin said. “We’ve been playing a lot and this game was later in the day for us. But we’re finding ways to get it done. Our bats are progressively getting better. It was a good team win.” It was a game where both starting pitchers, Madie Fornwalt of East Coast and Terra Goetz of the California team were largely in control. East Coast struck first with an RBI double from Fornwalt. But the California Firecrackers came right back in the fourth with two runs of its own on a two-run base hit by Alexis Clancy. Both team’s defenses were steady behind the pitchers. And this made for an efficient contest in a game that began nearly an hour later than it was scheduled. “That game kind of felt different,” said Fornwalt, who is committed to play at Merrimack College in Massachusetts. “Plays were routine and a lot of them seemed effortless.” In the bottom of the fifth, the East Coast Firecrackers were able to put traffic on the bases. Fornwalt continued her big game with a two-run double to bring her RBI total to three for the game. This hit also put East Coast ahead 3-2, a lead that would prove to be insurmountable. The scoring in the inning wasn’t finished, however. Hannah French followed Fornwalt with a double of her own that plated two more runs and extended the East Coast lead to 5-2. Both teams played a quiet sixth inning before things got intriguing in the top of the seventh. Clancy came up to the plate to lead off the inning. After a tough at-bat that featured multiple foul balls with two strikes, Clancy found a pitch she liked and blasted it over the fence in right-center field. All of a sudden, the score was 5-3 and momentum began to shift slightly to the California Firecrackers’ side. After inducing a flyout to left field, Lily Gallardo hit a rocket through shortstop and reached second on an errant throwback to first. The tying run came to the plate for the California Firecrackers. The tension at Waddell Park grew slightly. But not for long. Fornwalt struck out the next batter and then got the next one to ground out to shortstop to end the game. “It’s really stressful and I was a little tired so it’s kind of extra too,” Fornwalt said. “I enjoy it. It’s nice and it’s fun." The East Coast Firecrackers advanced to play another game in Mount Elbert B Bracket play. There wasn’t much rest for them either as they were slated to take on Lady Stros Gold Morgan in a game immediately after their win over the California Firecrackers. They began the day with a 10-3 win over Newtown Rock Gold-Baker. On the tournament, they are 5-1 in the 18U Sparkler. And nonetheless, after traveling roughly 2,000 miles, they are enjoying their experience in Colorado. “It’s awesome. This is the softball element,” Constantin said. “I’m glad we could come out here and experience this.” |